LOCATION QUAKING CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Andic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Quaking very gravelly loamy coarse sand on a northeast facing 3 percent slope under a cover of ponderosa pine, antelope bitterbrush, and squirreltail at an elevation of 4600 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless, otherwise stated. When described July 31, 1984, the soil was dry throughout).
Oi--1 to 0 inches; recent and decomposed pine litter.
A--0 to 3 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) very gravelly loamy coarse sand; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent pumice gravel; NaF pH 11.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
C--3 to 7 inches; white (10YR 8/1) extremely gravelly sand; white (10YR 8/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 90 percent pumice gravel; NaF pH 11.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Ab--7 to 14 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly coarse sandy loam; brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine, and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel; NaF pH 10.0; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
Btb1--14 to 21 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy loam; brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; common thin clay films on ped faces; 40 percent gravel; NaF pH 9.0; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary.
Btb2--21 to 32 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly sandy clay loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common thin clay films on ped faces; 70 percent gravel; NaFpH 9.0; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btb horizon is 16 to 25 inches).
BC--32 to 64 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 60 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; NaF pH 9.0; slightly acid (pH 6.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Modoc County, California; about 6.3 miles southwest of Tionesta; 400 feet south and 1,500 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 16, T. 43 N., R. 5 E., Timber Mountain. SW (West of Kephart) quadrangle (7.5 minute series).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F.
f.om mid March to late December (285 days) and exceeds 47 degrees F. from early May to early December. The soil moisture control section (18 to 60 inches) is dry in all parts from mid July to mid October (110 to 130 days) and is moist in all parts from early November to early July. The particle-size control section (14 to 32 inches) ranges from 18 to 27 percent clay and 35 to 80 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon color is 10YR 5/1, 4/2, 5/2 or 5/3. Moist color is 10YR 3/1, 2/2, 3/2 or 3/3. Organic matter ranges from 6 to 9 percent. Clay content ranges from 3 to 10 percent. Rock fragments, mostly pumice gravel range from 35 to 60 percent. NaF pH ranges from 9.0 to 11.0. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The C horizon color is 10YR 7/1, 8/1, or 8/2. Moist color is 10YR 6/2, 7/2 or 8/2. Organic matter ranges from 1 to 2 percent. Clay content ranges from 1 to 5 percent. Rock fragments, mostly pumice gravel range from 60 to 90 percent. NaF pH ranges from 9.0 to 11.0. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The Ab horizon color is 7.5YR 5/4 or 6/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/4 or 4/4. Organic matter ranges from 1 to 2 percent. Clay content ranges from 10 to 18 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel range from 15 to 35 percent. NaF pH ranges from 8.8 to 10.0. Aluminum and 1/2 iron (by ammonium oxalate) range from 1.0 to 1.5. Bulk density ranges from .9 to 1.0 g/cm3.
The Btb horizon color is 7.5YR 6/4; 10YR 5/4 or 6/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/4, 4/4 or 10YR 4/4. Organic matter ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 percent. Texture is very gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam. Clay content ranges from 18 to 27 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel range from 35 to 80 percent. NaF pH ranges from 8.8 to 9.5.
The BC horizon color is 10YR 5/4 or 6/4. Moist color is 10YR 3/4 or 4/4. Organic matter ranges from 0.1 to 0.3 percent. Clay content ranges from 15 to 18 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel range from 60 to 70 percent cobbles range from 5 to 20 percent. NaF pH ranges from 8.0 to 8.8.
Andic Properties Data: (see remarks for explanation)
Depth P-ret B.D. pHNaF Glass Alo Feo 15barH20 0-3 18 NC 7.8 ND 0.18 0.10 18.7 3-7 47 NC 8.5 ND 0.12 0.06 ND 7-14 52 0.93 9.3 14 0.76 0.56 12.8 14-21 46 0.98 8.9 4 0.57 0.73 14.6 21-32 42 1.0 9.0 4 0.52 0.79 15.1 32-64 37 1.10 8.8 ND 0.39 0.68 17.2
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Quaking soils are on lava plateaus and escarpments. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. These soils formed in tephra deposited over basaltic lava flows. Elevation is 4400 to 4750 feet. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 16 to 25 inches. Snowfall is 48 to 60 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. The mean January temperature is about 32 degrees F. The mean July temperature is about 65 degrees F. Frost-free season is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kephart (T) and Medlake (T) soils. Kephart soils are on lava flows and escarpments, are very deep, and are fine-loamy. Medlake soils are on hills, are deep, and are pumiceous over medial.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for timber production. The natural vegetation is ponderosa pine, incense cedar antelope bitterbrush, squirreltail, needlegrass, greenleaf manzanita, bloomer goldenbush and some white fir.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California. The soils are not extensive. MLRA is 22.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Modoc County, Intermountain Soil Survey Area, California 1990. Source of name is Quaking spring.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile include:
Ochric epipedon the zone from the soil surface to about 3 inches (A).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 14 to 32 inches. (Btb1, Btb2).
Andic Subgroup properties from the Ab range of characteristics. ADDITIONAL DATA: This pedon was characterized by UC Davis in 1984.
Sample number is CA85-049-03X unpublished, UC Lab #1619.